Embodiments of the present invention relates to testing of semiconductor devices, and more particularly, relates to a semiconductor structure and a method for measuring the temperature of a semiconductor device.
As semiconductor devices continue to reduce the size, self-heating effect in the fin-type devices (for example, FinFET device) on device performance has become a challenge. Due to self-heating effect, it is becoming more difficult to evaluate the performance of semiconductor devices under operating conditions. Therefore, there is a need for new semiconductor structures and methods of measurement to determine the heating effect of semiconductor devices.
FIG. 1 is a top view diagram illustrating a conventional semiconductor structure for temperature measurement. FIG. 1 shows a fin-type device including a fin 100, a gate electrode 102, and electrodes for a source region and a drain region are labeled as 104 and 106, respectively. Electrical interconnection regions 108 are disposed at both ends of the gate electrode 102 has an electrical. Gate electrode 102 and electrical interconnect regions 108 are used as a temperature sensor. By measuring the resistance of the gate electrode 102, its temperature can be determined based on the relationship between the resistivity of the gate material and temperature. Since the gate electrode 102 is coupled to the interconnect 108 at both ends, the device cannot be used to measure the resistance of the gate 102 when the device is working. In actual measurement, the semiconductor device needs to be started until after it is raised to near the operating temperature. At this time, the semiconductor device is turned off, and then different potentials are applied to the electrical interconnect regions 108 to measure the resistance of the gate electrode 102. The disadvantage of this method is that, since the semiconductor device has been stopped at the time of the temperature measurement, the heat generated by the device has been partially dissipated, so that the measurement would be made at a temperature lower than the actual device operating temperature. Accordingly, it would be difficult to carry out in-situ measurement while the semiconductor device is operating.
Therefore, there is a need for improved semiconductor structures and methods of measurement to determine the heating effect of semiconductor devices.